Mental Illness Stigma and its Roots

This assignment delves into the complex issue of mental illness stigma. It examines various factors contributing to this stigma, such as the biomedical model of mental disorder, genetic essentialism, and neuroessentialism. Students are asked to analyze research studies that explore the relationship between these factors and public perceptions of mental illness. The focus is on understanding how societal beliefs about the biological basis of mental health influence stigmatization and its consequences.

Running head: BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
Impact of biogenetic explanation on mental health stigma
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1BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
One of the greatest challenges that the mental patients face is the societal stigma that is still a
significant part of our society. However, the health care industry has metamorphosed completely
since the medicalization of the entire treatment procedure, yet the conventional misconceptions
in society regards the mental illnesses have not yet been completely eradicated. Many
researchers have indicated the societal rejection and stigmatizing experience to be a major source
of trauma for the mental patients and serve as a major hindrance to the well-being, safety and
recovery. However along with the recent and robust technological innovations in the health care
industry, there are measures being introduced to reduce the extent of stigmatization
(Abramowitz, 2015). The biomedical model of health care can be considered one such example
that has attempted to incorporate logical biogenetic explanation and clinical causes behind any
disease like entities. Out of all the different elements of a biogenetic model in health care, the
biogenetic explanation is the element that has served to be the most beneficial for mental
illnesses and the associated stigmatization prevalent in the society. This essay will attempt to
explore and evaluate the impact of biogenetic explanations on eradication of social stigma with
mental illnesses and attempt to determine whether it eases the treatment and recovery procedure
for the patients or not contributing to their overall wellbeing.
First and foremost a biomedical model defines health as a composite state that is free from
any discomfort, pain, or abnormalities; any deviation from this state of absolute equilibrium is
considered to be a diseased state caused by a pathogenic cause. Now the biomedical model when
applied to mental illness sector posits mental disorders to be brain diseases that targeted
pharmacological treatment, very much like any other health care concern (Deacon, 2013). This
biology focussed approach to psychiatry incorporates policy, practice and science to device a
robust diseases management strategy that facilitates logical and reasonable thinking with mental

2BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
illnesses. Now it has to be mentioned in this context that the integration of the biomedical model
has the potential to reshape the public perception regrading the different mental illnesses. It has
to be understood that the most of the stigma or isolation that society imposes on the mentally ill
individuals is the complete lack of knowledge in the public regarding the different mental
illnesses, the causes behind it, and the effect it imparts on the normal lifestyle and living of the
individuals. With biogenetic explanation, the misconceptions and superstitions in the general
public regarding the cause and effect of mental illnesses can significantly improve the health care
experience that the mentally ill individuals receive (Boysen, 2011).
Now in order to explore the impact of the biogenetic explanation in improving the public
perception, it is very important to discover how biogenetic explanations apply to the mental
illness sector. According to the most of the research authors, the biogenetic model categorizes
mental illnesses in a manner that helps in increasing the tolerance towards the mentally ill. The
biogenetic model when applied to the mental health sector accomplishes two key feats; it
interprets mental illnesses as the direct resultant from biochemical imbalances in the brain
tissues, and integrates the possibility of genetic predisposition into the entire scenario. There
have been many research studies that have been devoted to discover the impact the biogenetic
explanations can facilitate better understanding in the public regrading mental illnesses
(Cechnicki, Angermeyer & Bielanska, 2011).
Elaborating more on this context it has to be understood that the stigmatization that is
associated with mental illnesses is in most cases manifested into social isolation and rejection.
According to the most of researchers, a compassionate approach towards the mentally ill
individuals can improve the well being of the patients and can even contribute to their recovery
scope and timeframe. Furthermore, another very alarming concern with the mental health

3BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
scenario is the fact that the health care staff also contribute to the stigmatization which further
deteriorates the overall care experience that mentally unstable patients receive. In such cases
incorporating a biogenetic model that provides a clear and concise explanation of the mental
illnesses and help the staff perceive the mental disorder clearly and avoid the inclination to
blame the diseases individual for his or her mental condition (Corrigan et al., 2012).
Now many of the researchers have deemed the biogenetic medicalization to be a positive
process that has prompted the anti-stigma activities to a large extent, and one of the fruits that the
efforts of this model has borne is the global interpretation of schizophrenia as a mental illness
that affects the normal functioning of the brain and restricts the diseased person to perceive
different facts normally and act in accordance to that (Kvaale, Gottdiener & Haslam, 2013).
Depression had also been successfully established as a proven medical illness with scientific
medical reasons contributing to it. It has to be mentioned in this context that the medical
recognition of these mental illnesses, schizophrenia and depression as medical diseases with
causes and symptoms has helped a vast proportion of patients suffering with these concerns seel
out medical help and recover (Howell, Weikum & Dyck, 2011).
Elaborating more on this context it has to be mentioned that social stigma contributes to a
myriad of different restrictions being established into the care of mentally ill, it complicates
accommodation for the mentally ill, restricts interpersonal contact, and above all, incorporates
hopelessness in the patients regarding recovery along with posing chronic challenges in the path
for the patient to have emotional well being and self esteem. The key purpose behind the
introduction of biogenetic explanation in the mental illness sector depends on the assumption
that the awareness regarding the biogenetics of mental illnesses will positively discourage the
inclination in the public to blame the victims for their sufferings. However, there is a diverse

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assortment of external and internal factors associated with the procedure and there had been little
evidence at the extent of impact that biogenetic explanation can bring forth on the stereotypes
prevalent in the society towards the concept of mental disorders (Larkings & Brown, 2017).
Shedding light on the real world scenario, there are different views recorded and represented
in different research articles. According to the study by Angermeyer et al., 2011, social stigma
represents the isolation and distancing largely and the authors of this article conclude that
different kinds of biogenetic explanation impart differential effect on the stigmatization
(Angermeyer et al., 2011). Jorm, Reavley, & Ross, 2012 in their article opined on the other hand
that social stigma is multifaceted and in-depth biogenetic explanation can increase the perception
of dangerousness in the public, contributing more to stigma (Jorm, Reavley & Ross, 2012). The
literature published previously provide contradictory views on the effectiveness of the biogenetic
explanations on reducing stigma, however according to the meta-analytic quantitative study
design by Kvaale, Gottdiener & Haslam, 2013, the reduced tendency in the public to blame the
mental patients for their suffering is largely related to the public endorsement of the biogenetic
explanations. However it cannot be overlooked that in certain cases the level of detail
incorporated in the biogenetic explanation of the mental illness has a severe impact on how it
reshapes the public perception. For instance, considering a particularly severe condition as
schizophrenia, a detailed biogenetic explanation is associated with stereotyping these conditions
as dangerous and increasing the desire in the public to distance them from the diseased
individual. On the other hand according to Kvaale, Gottdiener & Haslam, 2013, the sample
population and their individual level of perception and values impart a significant effect on the
effectiveness of the biogenetic explanation as well (Kvaale, Gottdiener & Haslam, 2013).

5BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
Elaborating more on this context, a number of meta-analytical studies have attempted to clear
the clouded understanding of how different biogenetic explanation setting imparts differential
results. Kvaale, Gottdiener & Haslam, 2013 in their articles have opined that contextual; genetic
explanation of a mental illness have been found to be associated with lower stigma, whereas
general biogenetic or neuro-chemical explanation is found to be associated with more
stereotyping. It can be stated that distal genetic causes are perceived as less influenced by
personal lifestyle choices and hence incorporate to lesser blaming or stigmatization. A
contributing factor to this can be the fact that neurobiological pathways of a disease represent
proximal behavioural explanations of the disease, which can be represented as antithetical to
psychological explanations. This incomplete understanding of the public might lead them to
believe the mentally ill patients to be more dangerous as they have neurobiological alterations
contributing to unwarranted abnormal behaviours; which leads the public to feel stronger desire
to distance themselves from the mental patients. Hence, when considering the anti-stigmatization
campaigning, emphasizing on genetic explanations rather than general or neurobiological ones
can facilitate better results and reduce the stigmatization effectively (Yang et al., 2013).
On a concluding note, it can be stated that the introduction of biogenetic explanation in the
mental health sector have undoubtedly been a revolutionary step. However, the heterogeneity of
the explanations approaches opted is a potential threat to the effectiveness of this initiative. The
research undertaken for this paper revealed a few key information regarding how the approach
can be better in integrated to accomplish the ultimate goal of a society free of stigma towards
mental patients; one primary step required to be incorporated in the campaigning activities is the
emphasis on detailed genetic explanation of the mental illnesses as opposed to general
neurochemical approaches. It must not escape notice that educational campaigns when employed

6BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
as psychosocial intervention tool, may contain beneficial as well as harmful elements and there is
need for a more evidence-based approach towards designing the anti-stigma campaigns,
integrating elements that will effectively reduce the stigma rather than aggravating it further. It
can be hoped that true genetic explanation of mental illness can prove to be an efficient device to
reduce stigma and ease the process of seeking care for the mental patients with compassion and
empathy.

7BIOGENETIC EXPLANATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
References:
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169-171. Retrieved From: http://www.abct.org/docs/PastIssue/38n7.pdf
Angermeyer, M. C., Holzinger, A., Carta, M. G., & Schomerus, G. (2011). Biogenetic
explanations and public acceptance of mental illness: systematic review of population studies.
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Boysen, G. A. (2011). Biological explanations and stigmatizing attitudes: using essentialism and
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Cechnicki, A., Angermeyer, M. C., & Bielanska, A. (2011). Anticipated and experienced stigma
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